The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-12-15

things, however, are raised or manufac
tured in our own country, and the duties
now levied upon foreign goods and pro
ducts are called protection to these home
manufactures, because they render it pos
slble for those of our people who are man.
ufacturers, to make these taxed articles
and sell them for price equal to that de-
paid customs duty. So it happens that
while comparatively few use the i'm
ported articles, millions of our people, who
never use and never saw any of the foreign
products, purchase and use things of the
same kind MADE in this country, and pay
therefor nearly or quite the same en-
HANGED price which the duty adds to the
imported articles. Those who buy imports
pay the duty charged thereon into the
public treasury, but the great majority of
our citizens, who buy domestic articles of
the same class, pay sum at least approx
imately equal to this duty to the home
manufacturer.
1t is not proposed to entirely relieve the
country OF this taxation. 1t must be ex-
tensively continued as the source of the
Governments income and in a readjust-
ment of our tariff the interests of Amer
lean labor engaged in manufacture should
be carefully considered, as we'll as the
preservation of our manufacturers. But
this existence should not mean a condi-
ton which, without regard to the public
welfare or national exigency, must al
ways insure the realization of immense
profits instead Of moderately profitable re-
turns. When an attempt is made to JUS
tify scheme which permits tax to be
laid upon every consumer in the land for
the benefit of our manufacturers, quite
beyond a reasonable demand for govern
mental regard, it suits the purpose of
advocacy to call our manufactures infant
industries, still needing the highest and
greatest degree of favor and fostering care
that can be wrung from federal legislation.
1t is also said that the increase in the
price of domestic manufactures resulting
from the present tariff is necessary in order
that higher wages may be paid to our work
ingmen employed in manufactures than
are paid for what is called the pauper labor
of Europe. Allwill acknowledge the force
of the argument which involves the welfare
and liberal compensation of our laboring
people.
Our labor is honorable in the eyes of
every American citizen; and is entitled to
the utmost regard. There are 2,623, OS9
persons employed in such manufacturing
industries as are claimed toi,be benefited
by high tariff. To these the appeal is
made to save their employment and main
tain their wages by resisting change.
There should be no disposition to answer
such suggestions by the allegation that
they are in a minority among those who
labor, and therefore should forego an ad-
vantage. in the interest of low prices for
the majority, and their compensation, as
it may be affected by the operation Of
tariff laws, should at all times be scrupu.
lousy kept in view; and yet with slight
reflection they will not overlook the fact
that they are consumers with the rest;
that they, too, have their own wants and
those of their families to supply from their
earnings, and that the price of the neces-
saries of life, as well as the amount of
their wages, will regulate the measure of
their welfare and comfort.
But the reduction of taxation demanded
should be so measured as not to necessi-
tate or justify either the loss of employ
ment by the working man nor the Lessee
ming of his wages. Nor can the worker in
manufactures fail to understand that
while high tariff is claimed to be neces-
sary to allow the payment of remunerative
wages. it certainly results in a very large
increase in the price of nearly all sorts of
He receives his wages,
and perhaps before he reaches his home is
obliged. in purchase for family use of an
article which embraces his own labor, to
return in the payment of the increase in
price which the tariff permits, the hard
earned compensation of many days of toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist who
manufacture nothing, but who pay the In
creased price which the tariff imposes upon
all he wears and upon all he owns, except
the increase Of his flocks and herds and
such things as his husbandry produces
from the soil, is told that high duty on
imported wool is necessary in order that
the price of his wool may be increased.
They of course are not reminded that the
farmer who has no sheep is by this scheme